


memorial

by orphan_account



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Gen, Memory Alteration, Rebellion Story Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 16:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1108940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sayaka enters the nutcracker witch's barrier.</p>
<p>bad summary, sorry.  rebellion timeline/spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	memorial

**Author's Note:**

> for a buddy's bday \o/

"Your memories?"

"I don't want to attract attention," Madoka said, stroking a lock of hair over her shoulder. Sometimes Sayaka wondered if Madoka had trouble getting used to the length, or if goddesses adapted to sudden changes of hairstyles effortlessly. It was still hard for her to adapt to the thought of her best friend as a god. Her best friend who used to cry when she'd skinned her knees in grade school, who doodled during class and then apologized for not having notes for her to copy.

Who was asking her to safeguard her memories of goddesshood now.

"That's a lost cause, cutie~"

"From the incubators, I mean!"

"Amnesiac or not, I'm not going to let anyone get their claws on my bride. Don't worry about the little rats. Leave it to me!"

Madoka hummed as Sayaka tousled her rose hair. "I will. I have all the trust in the world in you."

"T-that much, huh."

"All the trust in the world and more."

She let her hand fall sheepishly from Madoka's head so she could rub at her own neck. "Haha, yeah! That's only natural! So, uh, let's do this thing already. How's that supposed to happen anyway, I've never... received someone's memories before..."

"I'll show you," Madoka grinned, taking Sayaka's hand, lacing their fingers together. "Just close your eyes."

 

 

Magical girls had to mature very quickly as a rule. Literally, when maturing into witches a universe ago. But Nagisa was only a grade schooler and never even had the opportunity for a normal childhood before she fell into despair.

This barrier was probably the closest she'd get, even if only for a while. Even if only as a witch.

"Mom won't be here, right?" she asked as they walked to Mami's apartment together, hand in hand. Sayaka had to resist the urge to pick her up for a piggyback ride.

"Homura doesn't know her, so probably not."

Nagisa nodded. It was a question she already knew the answer to, but she had to ask. She had to mature too quickly, too soon, and still not soon enough.

"You'll like Mami," Sayaka said. "I wish I was in your place, to be honest. I'd like to live with or marry... I mean, she's great. One of the kindest and most patient people I know. And she makes the best cakes. Cheesecakes too, I bet!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

The smaller witch was starry-eyed. "Let's share them together when you come over after nightmare battles!"

She finally stopped resisting the urge and pulled Nagisa up onto her shoulders for the rest of the trip.

 

 

Entering the barrier was disorienting for all of the witch's guests, and Kyoko especially. Sayaka could practically see her memory still rewriting itself when she caught sight of her, tears rising to her eyes but with no idea why. She stared at Sayaka like she'd seen a ghost. Which was, all things considered, extremely accurate.

But Kyoko definitely wasn't the only one with memory alterations. And Madoka had made certain to share the memory of her last words in Oktavia's labyrinth, words that Sayaka hadn't had a chance to return as a witch.

She had to the chance to now as a ghost.

"What's with that face?"

"What face? Are you trying to say there's something wrong with my face?"

"No! It's just--"

It was just like Kyoko not to notice her own tears. She tried to change the subject. "It's getting dark. Let's--"

But Kyoko wasn't a Mitakihara native. There wasn't a place prepared for her here. In the world she'd been pulled from, she'd alternated between breaking into hotels and staying over at Mami's and Homura's guest rooms. In this new world, a reimagining of a perfect world...

"Let's go home."

She could practically see her memory finish rewriting itself when Kyoko grinned back, finally reached to accept her outstretched hand.

 

 

"You're causing a lot of trouble for us, you know."

No answer.

"Okay, that's not fair of me to say. It's not your fault. It's Kyubey's. You didn't ask to be trapped this time."

No answer.

"I'll give you a hand this time as thanks for helping Madoka out. You're welcome."

No answer.

"But how long are you going to keep us waiting? All of us are already here. You really want to be the mysterious transfer student that badly, huh?"

No answer.

"We'll be patient, sleeping beauty. I'm not your prince, so wake up when you feel like it."

No answer. Sayaka leaned back against the flowery hill, watched zeppelins whir past overhead. Mitakihara didn't have airships. She wondered if Homura had ever wanted to fly.

Entering a witch's barrier was like looking into a fever dream, but Homura's was surprisingly lucid. Sayaka could remember her own and Madoka's memories of countless other labyrinths, each a mirror reflecting their broken wishes. Oktavia wanted to disappear in her music. Candeloro wanted friends. Ophelia wanted to forget her guilt. Gretchen wanted to save everyone.

Homulilly wanted a normal life. Her recreation of Mitakihara wasn't perfect, but... everyone was alive. And witches didn't exist. With a few notable exceptions.

She glanced over at the glass coffin and at Homura sleeping inside. The witch continued to dream an imperfect labyrinth. The knight waited for her to wake.


End file.
